Device for receiving and locking integrated cards in a support

Abstract

Device for receiving integrated circuit cards. The devices used until now in practice do not sufficiently protect the individual cards in all operating modes. The present device is intended to allow the cards to be locked. For this purpose, a locking mechanism (16) is provided, having at least one bar (9) which is designed as a lever (20, 21, 22) and can be moved out of a locking position into an unlocking position and vice versa and which is preferably held in its locking position with the aid of a holding device (23). The holding device (23) may, for example, be a torsion spring (36). In the case of another embodiment, the locking mechanism (16) may additionally have a closable blocking device (44) which acts on one of the abovementioned levers and can be moved out of a blocking position, preventing a movement of the relevant lever (21, 22), into a release position, releasing a movement of the lever (21, 22), and vice versa. The device is suitable in particular for protecting a plurality of cards to differing degrees and for using these for different purposes in cash registers.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A device for receiving circuit carriers in card form, in particular chip cards with integrated circuits, having a number of insert receptacles corresponding to a number of cards to be received, a card being inserted into a respective receptacle in a direction of a plane of the card, comprising: a plurality of means for protecting the cards in an inserted operating position thereof, each of the means for protecting having a bar which is assigned to a card and which is pivotable between an unlocking position, pivoted out of the plane of the card, and a locking position, pivoted into the plane of the card and which engages behind a locking edge of an inserted card;   a lockable blocking device which acts on at least one bar of the bars of the means for protection and which is moveable between a blocking position, preventing a movement of the bar out of a locking setting, and a release position, releasing a movement of the bar, the blocking device having a sliding bar which is provided with a lock and which, in the locking position of a respective bar; can be moved into the blocking position and out of the release position over a pivoting range thereof;   a plurality of frames and respectively assigned bars,   the sliding bar having a cam profile having a plurality of cams which are assigned to respective bars and which, in the locking position of the respective bar, can be moved into and out of a pivoting range thereof; and   actuating device for displacing the sliding bar, the actuating device having a pivoting arm, which is provided with a lock, and a pin, which is connected to the sliding bar and interacts with the pivoting arm.   
     
     
       2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivoting arm has for receiving the pin a guide slot or an elongate clearance. 
     
     
       3. A device for receiving circuit carriers in card form, in particular chip cards with integrated circuits, having a number of insert receptacles corresponding to a number of cards to be received, a card being inserted into a respective receptacle in a direction of a plane of the card, comprising: a plurality of means for protecting the cards in an inserted operating position thereof, each of the means for protecting having a bar which is assigned to a card and which is pivotable between an unlocking position, pivoted out of the plane of the card, and a locking position, pivoted into the plane of the card and which engages behind a locking edge of an inserted card;   a lockable blocking device which acts on at least one bar of the bars of the means for protection and which is moveable between a blocking position, preventing a movement of the bar out of a locking setting, and a release position, releasing a movement of the bar, the blocking device having a sliding bar which is provided with a lock and which, in the locking position of a respective bar, can be moved into the blocking position and out of the release position over a pivoting range thereof;   the sliding bar having a cam profile having a plurality of cams which are assigned to respective bars and which, in the locking position of the respective bar, can be moved into and out of a pivoting range thereof the cam profile controlling pivoting of the respective bars between respective unlocking position and locking position; and   the sliding bar being displaceable transversely to the inserting direction of a respective card.   
     
     
       4. A device for receiving circuit carriers in card form, in particular chip cards with integrated circuits, having a number of insert receptacles corresponding to a number of cards to be received, a card being inserted into a respective receptacle in a direction of a plane of the card, comprising: a plurality of means for protecting the cards in an inserted operating position thereof, each of the means for protecting having a bar which is assigned to a card and which is pivotable between an unlocking position, pivoted out of the plane of the card, and a locking position, pivoted into the plane of the card and which engages behind a locking edge of an inserted card;   a lockable blocking device which acts on at least one bar of the bars of the means for protection and which is moveable between a blocking position, preventing a movement of the bar out of a locking setting, and a release position, releasing a movement of the bar, the blocking device having a sliding bar which is provided with a lock and which, in the locking position of a respective bar, can be moved into the blocking position and out of the release position over a pivoting range thereof;   a plurality of frames and respectively assigned bars, at least one card being assigned to a further bar, which is substantially similarly to one of said assigned bars and which is arranged opposite the latter on a frame of the device, at least one of the bars being fixable in its locking position by a lead-sealable mechanical connection and said connection being provided in addition to or instead of the blocking device; and   the sliding bar having a cam profile having a plurality of cams which are assigned to respective bars and which, in the locking position of the respective bar, can be moved into and out of a pivoting range thereof.   
     
     
       5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein each insert receptacle has signal transmitting contacts for connection of the integrated circuits of the inserted card to operating function elements of an electronic unit assigned to the device. 
     
     
       6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the device is assigned to a cash register, and wherein the insert receptacles receive cards corresponding to a hierarchical superordination or subordination of predetermined business functions, hierarchically lower cards being protected by one of the bars, hierarchically higher cards being additionally protected by the blocking device and a hierarchically highest card being protected by the lead-sealable connection. 
     
     
       7. A device for receiving circuit carriers in card form, in particular chip cards with integrated circuits, having a number of insert receptacles corresponding to a number of cards to be received, a card being inserted into a respective receptacle in a direction of a plane of the card, comprising: a plurality of means for protecting the cards in an inserted operating position thereof, each of the means for protecting having a bar which is assigned to a card and which is pivotable between an unlocking position, pivoted out of the plane of the card, and a locking position, pivoted into the plane of the card and which engages behind a locking edge of an inserted card;   a lockable blocking device which acts on at least one bar of the bars of the means for protection and which is moveable between a blocking position, preventing a movement of the bar out of a locking setting, and a release position, releasing a movement of the bar; and   at least one of the blocking device and the bars being assigned a switch which senses the locking or unlocking position of the at least one of the blocking device and the bars and which provides a signal indicative of the locking or unlocking position at least when the card is in an operational mode and contained in the respective receptacle.   
     
     
       8. A device for receiving circuit carriers in card form, in particular chip cards with integrated circuits, having a number of insert receptacles corresponding to a number of cards to be received, a card being inserted into a respective receptacle in a direction of a plane of the card, comprising: a plurality of means for protecting the cards in an inserted operating position thereof, each of the means for protecting having a bar which is assigned to a card and which is pivotable between an unlocking position, pivoted out of the plane of the card, and a locking position, pivoted into the plane of the card and which engages behind a locking edge of an inserted card;   a lockable blocking device which acts on at least one bar of the bars of the means for protection and which is moveable between a blocking position, preventing a movement of the bar out of a locking setting, and a release position, releasing a movement of the bar;   at least one of the blocking device and the bars is assigned a switch which senses the blocking or unlocking position of at least one of the blocking device and the bars and which provides a signal indicative of the locking or unlocking position; and   each insert receptacle having signal transmitting contacts for connection of the integrated circuits of the inserted card to operating function elements of an electronic unit assigned to the device.